JuD activities continue in Pakistan despite UNSC ban

Lahore, Jan.11 (ANI): Pakistans tall claims of carrying out a severe crack down on the banned terrorist outfit Jamaat-ud-Daawa (JuD) seems to be a mere hogwash, as the outfit continues to run a vast network of hundreds of schools, colleges, healthcare centres, hospitals, as well as seminaries across Pakistan, without facing any restrictions. The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) imposed a ban on the JuD while declaring it a terrorist organization on December 10, 2008, for its involvement in the November 26, Mumbai terror attacks, but most of the organisations center can be seen working as they did earlier. The sprawling Muridke headquarters of the JuD, on the outskirts of Lahore, and spanning over 200 acres, is still open for all practical purposes and bustles with activities, The News reported. The effect of the ban, and the crackdown can be gauged from the fact that Hafiz Saeed, the JuD leader, who was put under house arrest by the authorities, continues to move freely in organizations strong hold areas such as Muridke, and Markaz. Hafiz Saeed was allowed to leave his Johar Town residence in Lahore and travel to a nearby mosque hardly three days after he was put under house arrest. There seems to be a least effect of the ban on the JuD activities as it recently organised a rally to condemn the banning of the organisation as a terrorist group. Incidentally, the police personnel who should have been busy in truncating the wings of the organization were seen escorting the rally. The JuD spokesman, Abdullah Muntazir, continues to issue statements despite governments strict directives, is a testimony to Pakistans devotion towards suppressing the activities of the group. However, a Pakistan Interior Ministry spokesman said that Paksitan is fully devoted towards cracking down on the Jud and implement UNSCs ban. Besides placing the top JuD leadership under house arrest, the Cyber Crime Wing of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) had also shut down both the Urdu and English language websites of the organization, The News quoted the spokesman, as saying.(ANI)